Ode on Mother's Day

She would bear a child,

She is called a mother.

A mom like her,

is a child’s best lover.

But my mom

is never a super woman.

She would take care of us kids

like any other moms did.

When I was small,

she was never with me at school

Yet, I wondered why she knew everything,

that I spilled my milk and was then crying.

She neither asked me to succeed

nor give me dreams to achieve

She just told me what good it is

when one becomes a priest.

A priest, she said, can save the whole family

and so she prayed that priesthood becomes my destiny.

I never saw her proud for whatever I received as a reward

But when I was down and sick,

she would heal me so I stood up quick.

But as I grew up I just wanted to be free from her embrace

I hurt her, with my words and actions, straight to her face.

I thought my life is better without a mother at my side

But when the entire world left me, she alone was there to stand by my side.

Years passed, I grew old and I saw my mother grew older.

Late have I realized, I never have been her better child.

How I wish to turn back the times, to make her feel happy,

Because her remaining years are not enough for me even to say sorry

Though I said it’s too late, I dared to finish what she wanted for herself if at the age of 16 she were not only married

A lawyer, a teacher, an educator and everything she started, all these I would become because I love my mom.

Nonetheless, she told me, only priesthood is adequate to make her happy

For her soul and that of the other members of the family are assured of a happy life for all eternity.

Now, I can still say, my mom is never a super woman

But the truth is I cannot live without her.

Call me a mama’s boy or whatever

But I rather go first to the grave than to live all my life without a mother.

To my mom, you made me all that I am and gave me all that I have.

To God, bless my mom with long life as I give up to You all that I am and all that I have.